6922 tube selection

I've seen lots of comments from people that use Andy, Brent, and Kevin. I don't recall ever seeing a bad comment about any of them. I've used Kevin to re-tube my BAT preamp a couple of times. Last time he steered me to the Philips 7DJ8s. They sound WONDERFUL and I don't recall them being that expensive. The point is to buy from someone you can trust. With a preamp as popular as the 17LS they will usually have lots of experience and feedback from customers that you can take advantage of.

I would never buy tubes off of Ebay unless I had a tube tester (and I don't). A short could cost you big in repairs to your amp and the bargain tube won't seem like such a bargain then.

Dick

I sincerely appreciate the input and responses received to date. That is what has made this such a wonderful site that I always enjoy working with. I have not really wanted to go the NOS route. I am concerned about purchasing some one elses used tubes. Testing machines just don't exist in every drugstore like they used to!

The choice was either the Electro Harmonix gold pin or Genalex Gold Lion gold pin. Comments well taken with 'don't go cheap on me now' recommendations.

Below is a quote regarding tube life from the C-J website (FYI):
"1500 hours for signal tubes (small ones-6922) and 3000 hours for power tubes (big ones, like the KT88 or 6550).

Are you saying that tubes purchased from Vintage Tube Services (Andy), Brent Jessee, or Kevin Deal (Upscale) that are listed as NOS are used? The first two may carry tubes that have been used but will always say so and will tell you whether they test as new or not.

Of the two choices you list, I preferred the New Sensor "Genalex" Gold Lion. But that is just my taste given a forced choice between the two. My experience has been the NOS last a helluva lot longer than current production and that's based on both small signal and output tubes. There are some times when you get what you pay for. Just my 2¢ naturally.

I've seen lots of comments from people that use Andy, Brent, and Kevin.

Agree, and take a look at,

tctubes

Know a couple of guys that bought from him, and they were very satisfied. Also, he uses what some consider the best tester available, Amplitrex AT1000, for testing and matching.

BM, Seriously, aside from Andy from are other honest tube guys - Brent Jesse, Tube Depot, Tubemonger , Upscale Audio just to name a few